White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders on Tuesday repeated her criticism of former FBI director James Comey. She also said the Department of Justice should consider prosecuting him.

“I think everyone knows where the president stands on that issue,” Sanders said during a press briefing. “The president is proud of the decision he made. The president was 100 percent right in firing James Comey. He knew at the time that it could be bad for him politically, but he also knew and felt he had an obligation to do what was right.”

“I think there is no secret Comey by his own self-admission leaked privileged government information, weeks before President Trump fired him Comey testified that an FBI agent engaged in the same practice, they would face serious repercussions,” she continued. “His actions were improper and likely could have been illegal.

“Comey leaked memos to the New York Times. He politicized an investigation by signaling he would exonerate Hillary Clinton before interviewing her or other key witnesses. [Trump] is very happy with the decision he made and I think he has been fully vindicated.”

She was asked if the White House wanted to see Comey prosecuted for his alleged illegal behavior.

“That’s not the president’s role,” Sanders replied. “That’s the job of the Department of Justice — and something they should certainly look at.”

“I think if there’s ever a moment we think someone has broken the law,” she added, “particularly if they’re the head of the FBI, I think that’s something that should certainly be looked at.”

Sanders later denied the White House was encouraging the Justice Department to prosecute Comey.

“Anybody that breaks that law, whatever that process is that needs to be followed, should certainly be looked at, if they determine that’s the course of action to take, then they should certainly do that,” she clarified. “But I’m not here to ever direct the DOJ.”

About the Author

Eric W. Dolan has served as an editor for Raw Story since August 2010,
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